As former Reg', I do know that we used to collect engine numbers from the owners and place that on a spreadsheet in production number order. Once you have that, you can more or less fill in the blanks for the missing cars. Though with GTC/6B production there are a few anomilies with chassis number versus expected engine number. This is at the time when the factory were concentrating on either GTE or GTC production.

I don't think the DVLA worry too much. I replaced the engine in my Citroen AX some years ago with a Peugeot one and just notified them of the change of engine number. There was no problem, I was just issued with a replacement V5C with the 'new' engine number.

I'd heard similar about DVLA not being too bothered about a classic cars engine change, however I can't find anything on their website about it though it has been discussed at length in the classic press

As Phil said, I added the engine column to the GTE database (SE5 - Middlebridge) when I was first registrar and later all registrars used the same column format. It's not quite one for one - as you would expect (with cars and/or engines being pulled from the line for testing or fault rectification) but many blocks of engine numbers are 99% linear. I also did a 6b & GTC spreadsheet which gave us the order of production (assuming engines were numbered sequentially - which was a fairly safe assumption from extrapolation). This engine numbering later gave us a more accurate guesstimate of Ti engines in small sports (which Reliant didn't stamp) - by assuming the gaps in the (linear) CVH numbering system were Ti.

It wouldn't be difficult to populate a rough spreadsheet of chassis/VIN to engine numbers (in rough blocks) - if the registrars have no complaints it'll take me about an hour? (The hardest part is coupe/SE5 which have a large overlap)

many thanks jim, that answers a few questions !! have managed to scrape off the additional paint and found the whole number to be sc4856, looks like a previous owner has swapped the original carb etc over, as i have the DFAV weber not the DGAS, any idea if better or worse for it ?
cheers
david

Barrie James wrote:I don't think the DVLA worry too much. I replaced the engine in my Citroen AX some years ago with a Peugeot one and just notified them of the change of engine number. There was no problem, I was just issued with a replacement V5C with the 'new' engine number.

ScimmyMike wrote:I'd heard similar about DVLA not being too bothered about a classic cars engine change, however I can't find anything on their website about it though it has been discussed at length in the classic press

When I swapped the engine in one of my GTCs (HOM 450W) from a Cologne to 2.8 to an externally identical stroker Cologne 3.5, the DVLA couldn't be any more awkward. They requested a letter from a garage to prove that the engine number "I" said was now in it was correct. They also wanted measurements to prove the new displacement figure, and have a letter from the engine builder to back that up.

It go so wrapped up in awkwardness, I just left the paperwork as it was.

Maybe the DVLA have now had a policy change, or whoever dealt with my enquiry has left the department

I'm hoping the fact I've fitted a different 3 litre engine (although the cc is slightly different) it won't be much of an issue with mine.. Insurance company were happier that it was another 3 litre engine - even though from a different manufacturer and (over) 50% more power.

Phil Howard
Scimitarweb Forum Admin
SS1 1600 Rooster Turbo; Sabre Mk1.5, Sabre Mk2
Previous: SE5/5a/SS1 No.1/SS1 Rooster/SS1 1800Ti/SE5a 24 Valvehttp://www.ss1turbo.comNever try and argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you based on experience.

Hi all
I knew I had a later engine in my 67 Coupe as it had the side dipstick like my 1972 Gilbern Invader. I had a look for the engine numbers -SC4404 30U and 2F 14. Good news- your discussion indicates it is from a Scimitar, Burton show May 76 or Jan 95? So what do the other bits mean?
Cheers
Nige

It's not really that Burton Power are wrong, that's misinterpreting the codes. The Burton Power listings are for Ford engines *in Ford applications*, (where the engine number is derived from the accompanying Ford car chassis number), and where the "SC" code has the relevance in the table. For a Ford engine supplied to Reliant for use in a Scimitar, the "SC" = "Scimitar" and doesn't have any relationship to the Ford dates table.

....Roger

RSSOC member (since 1982)
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